LandscapeAdvisor

This could actually be a continuation of my last post on installing flagstone in grass.

While setting the new flagstone path we came across a soggy area of lawn at the bottom of a stone stairway.  The homeowner said this area was usually wet.

Looking the situation over with landscape contractor Dave Kennedy, we determined that the water was “weeping-out” from the gravel footing of the stone steps.

The gravel footing was doing its job of keeping moisture away from the stone stairway construction.  However, because of the grade of the lawn level at the top of the stairs, extra water from run-off was entering the stairway construction. [...]

The look of natural flagstone set in grass can be beautiful if done correctly and used in the right situation.

The turf in-between the stones softens the overall look of the path which can help distinguish it from other primary walkways.  At the same time this technique can subtly  connect different “points” in the landscape and direct the eye and traffic.

From a practical standpoint the stone path gives everybody a clean, solid surface to walk on in the event the grass is wet and/or soft.

The process of installing a path like this will vary slightly depending on circumstances such as the condition of the existing lawn.   Or, perhaps there is no lawn to begin with and you want to achieve this look.

The following installation will show the fundamentals.  If you have questions on a particular circumstance you may be dealing with, leave a “comment” and I’ll help you out. [...]

This group of “low junipers” is often either not pruned or pruned incorrectly.  Not pruning can result in run-away growth where these junipers outgrow their space.  Incorrect pruning can alter the plant’s natural growth habit and cause it’s health to decline. [...]

Let’s take another visit to the lake home and landscape project by East Coast Landscape.  In the last post we traveled down natural stone steps alongside a well-built and engineered waterfeature.

We’re now almost to the shoreline and standing on a wide path covered in woodchips.  This path actually travels a roundabout and gradual climb up to the main house.  It serves as both an alternate route for a casual (and longer) stroll, and also provides access for smaller equipment to get closer to the lake.

Combining Natural and Man-Made Elements

It is at this point where the cascading water coming down the rocky slope meets with a natural stream.

Alan Goodell from East Coast Landscape explains how this convergence of the two water features was handled.  At the base of the slope a retention pond was built using more boulders to echo the existing rockery.  Both the natural stream and the constructed waterfall enter into this pond. [...]